Grenade



K. H. SMITH.

GRENADE.

APPLICATION FILED nEc.3, 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

KENT HALE SMITH, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

GRENADE.

Specification f Letters Patent.

Patented June 29,1920'.

Application med December s, 1917. serial No. l205,028.

of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement -in Grenades, of which the following is a specification, the principle of my invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated gmain body of the'bom-b is flattend on one 4side, 'such side 2 being threaded to receive a applying that principle, so as to distinguish from other inventions. It is well known that serious accidents frequently 'occur in connection with the use of the small grenades or bombs which are employed 'in large"quantities in modern trench warfare. 'lhese grenades, which are principally thrown by hand, are designed to explode upon impact, and so if accidentally dropped, of course produce a disaster in the midst .of the attacking force. So

` serious, is this menace that the order has recently been issued in a certain army that the man who thus accidentally drops such a hand grenade or bomb, shall immediately fall on the same himself to smother the explosion,vsince his death is certain anyhow, and injury to his fellows may in this way be prevented.'

The object of the present invention is to provide a missile of thesort just described which may be handled `with .comparative impunity, that is, will be secure against accidental or premature explosion, butwhich will become fully operative, or capable of exploding on impact, following its discharge, that isV upon being thrown at the enemy.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said relation, then' consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly .pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawing and the following description setting forth l in detail lcertain mechanism embodying the invention, such controlling device, the section of the plane being indicated by the line 4 4, Fig. 1; and Figs. 5 and 6 are modifications.

As usual in devices of the sort in hand, the present improved hand grenade or bomb consists essentially of a hollow approximately spherical metal body l, preferablyl made of castiron, within which the highl eX- plosive is packed. In the present device this segmental cover 3 within which the controlling device, presently to be described, is located.

For setting oif the explosive in the main body of the bomb, one or more detonators 4 are provided, these being carried in the cylindrical wall 5 of a plug 6 screw-threaded into an opening in the top of the body 1 so as to project inwardly toward the flattened side 2 of the latter. For setting off the detonator, a Hat spring 7 is attached to the inner face of the plug, ywhich is inclosed by the aforesaid cylindrical wall, such spring carrying a steel pin or head 8 that, upon Vibration of the spring, will strike and set 0H one or both of the detonators 4. flhis necessary vibration ofthe spring is of course produced upon the bomb coming into contact with any obstacle. l

Extending inwardly from the flat side 2 of the'body 1 is a tubular projection 9 within which the inner end of the cylindrical wall 5 on the plug 6 snugly lits, and threaded iny la suitable central opening in the flat side of the body, so as to lie co-axially with this projection and the plug, is a screw 10. At its inner end thelatter carries a guard in the form of a cylindrical shell 11 that in one position of the screw, as shown in Fig. l.

surrounds the head 8 on the detonating spring, while in another position of such screw this head is left unguarded, as shown in Fig. 2. The end of the screw that lies -within the chamber under Vthe cover' 3, in what may be called the bottom of the bomb,

is provided with arms 12 heavily weighted at their outerends, as by pieces 13 of lead, and the thread on the screw is carefully tted to that in the hole so as to allow the screw to of this pin, however, it will be obvious that by imparting a whirling motion to the bomb about a plane parallel with the flat side of the main body of the same in a direction opposite to that of the thread on the screw, the latter, owing to the inertia of the weighted arms on its lower end, will be rotated relatively to such flat side, or rather the latter will be rotated relatively to and around such screw,'which tends to resist rotation, until the guard on its upper end uncovers the detonating pin. The screw may be formed with a projection 16 onv its lower end adapt- Ved to engage a stop 17 on the cover when this point is reached, as showniin Fig. 2. It will also be noted that by screwing the plug 6 which carries the detonating device in or out, the amount'of longitudinal travel of the screw necessary to uncover the detonating pin may be varied.

In order to insure that the bomb will be thrown in the proper manner, that is' so that it will rotate about the axis of the screw 10, the exterior surface of the body and cover are formed with appropriately located impressions or grips 18 for the thumb and fingers of the user. Accordingly, assuming the base plug to have been properly located to cause the bomb to. become alive at the desired distance, the user will simply withdraw the safety pin, seize the bomb in the fashion determined by the location of these impressions, and throw the bomb in the ordinary fashion as at present prescribed by army regulations. As the bomb is thrown, and travels through the air, a rotative movement will be imparted to it as a mattei' of course, and only after it has thus traveled a predetermined distance will the screw be withdrawn suiiiciently to uncover the detonating pin. Then, upon encountering an obstacle, the bomb is immediately exploded. Before it is thus thrown, however, it can be dropped with comparative safety, since the detonating pin is of course guarded, as need not be further explained.

The modification in construction ,illustrated in Fig. 5 relates to the form of detonating device, the object being to make more sure and certain the explosion of the charge, no matter with what side the grenade or bomb strikes. It is conceivable, in other words, that, with the formpof detonating device illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, if the bomb struck on an axial line passing longitudinally through the spring 7, the latter might not be set in vibration withl sufficient force to cause the head 8 to set ofi' the detonators 4. In the modified construction, ac-

cordingly, two or more flat springs 20 are provided, being suitably held 1n a cylindrilcal chamber 21 on the inner face of the fiat side 2. The ends of these sprin s nearest to such side are attached to a weig ted ring 22 provided with striking points or needles 23 for setting off corresponding detonating caps 24 secured in the adjacent portion of the chamber wall, upon movement of such ring toward the side 2. Light compression springs 25 normally retain the ring in the position shown in Fig. 5.

The opposite ends of the spring 20 are pointed and disposed to set off detonating caps 26 whenever the springs are straightened out, which will be efected by the action of weights 27 attached to their intermediate portions whenever the bomb strikes on its end, so that it will be seen that however the bomb strikes, it is practically certain to be set ofi' with this type of detonating device.

vFor rendering the device inoperative a guard operated in the same manner as that hereinbefore described is provided, such guard, however, taking the form of a solid cylindrical projection 28 instead of a shell 11 as in the previous construction. This projection normally projects between the weights 27 onithe springs 25.,.and also carries a collar 29 that engages with the ring 22. Accordingly, until such projection nis withdrawn. along with the collar, by the ro- 'i tation of the screw 10, the detonating device cannot be set off.

In Fig. 6 is illustrated a modified form of mechanism for controlling the withdrawal of the guard, or, in other words, the rotation of the screw 10, whatever specific form the guard proper may take. Attached to the end of this screw and to a suitable plug 30 inserted in the cover 3 directly opposite such end, is a torsion spring 31 which, in the normal position of the parts, tends to rotate the screw to withdraw the guard. This spring may be employed either in supplement to the weighted arms 12 or independently thereof as desired. By rotating the plug the tension of the spring may obviously be varied so as to speed or retard its action. whether exclusivelyrrelied on or not to rotate the screw 10.

Normally rotation of the screw .10 under the action of spring 31 is prevented by a release key 32, the outer end of which projects into one of the finger grips 18. A lock 33 serves to hold this key in operative position, but is thrown out of action when the finger of the user comingr in contact with the outer end of the key forces the latter inwardly, such lock being thereupon held out of the way by a spring 34. When the grenade in this condition leaves the hand the key is free to fly out, and screw 10 may then rotate either under the influence gf ilpertia or the action of the spring 31, or

n Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of gards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore 4particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention l. In a device of the character described, the combination of a hollow body adapted to contain a suitable explosive; detonating means including a vibratory pin; a guard normally covering such pin; and means controlled through inertia, adapted to withdraw said guard. l

2. In a device of the vcharacter described, the combination of a hollow body adapted to contain a suitable explosive; detonating -means including a vibratory prin; a guard normally covering such pin; means, controlled through inertia, adapted to with-.

draw said guard; and a lock for said lastnamed means.

3. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a hollowbody adapted to l contain a suitable explosive; detonating means including a vibratoryA pin; a guard normally covering such pin; and a screw connected to withdraw said guard, said screw being weighted so as to resist turning when said-body is rotated about the axis of said screw.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of a hollow .body adapted tocontain a suitable explosive; detonating means including "a vibratory pin; a guard normally covering such pin; and a screw connected at one end to said guard so as to withdrawA the sameupon relative turning movement between. said body and screw, said screw being provided with weighted arms at its other end so Aas to resist turning when said body is rotated about the axis of said screw.

5. In a device of the character described,

the combination of a hollow body adapted to contain a suitable explosive;`detonating means including a vibratory. pin; a guard normally .covering such pin; a screw conf nected at one end of said guard `so as to withdraw the same upon relative turning movement between said body and screw, .said screw being provided with weighted arms at its other end so as to resist'turning when said body is rotatedv about the axis of said screw; and finger grips formed on the ex'- terior of said body, whereby rotation about such axis is insured upon throwing same.

6. In a vdevice of the character described,

the combination of a hollow body adapted to contain a suitable explosive; detonating means'including a vibratory pin; a guard normally covering such pin; a screw connected at one end of said guard soas to withdraw the same upon relative turning 'able explosive, said body being fiat on one side; a cover for suchl side providing a chamber; a plug screw-threaded into said body at a point opposite such side and carrying a detonating device; a screw threaded y in such flat side cop-axially with said plug and carrying a guard for said detonatingT device; and weighted arms 4on the end of said screw projecting within such chamber.

Signed by me, this 28th day of November, 1917.

x KENT SMTH. 

